⁴ So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped ^(A)in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in ^(B)Gilboa.

Saul and His Sons Slain

31 ^(A)Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell slain ^(B)on Mount Gilboa. ² The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines ^[a]killed ^(C)Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua the sons of Saul. ^3 (D)The battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers ^[b]hit him; and he was badly wounded by the archers. ^4 (E)Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise ^(F)these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. ^(G)So Saul took his sword and fell on it. ⁵ When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. ⁶ Thus Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men on that day together.

⁴ Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. ^(A)Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it. ⁵ When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword and died. ^6 (B)Thus Saul died with his three sons, and all those of his house died together.

⁷ When all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.

⁸ It came about the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. ^9 (C)So they stripped him and took his head and his armor and sent messengers around the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to their idols and to the people. ¹⁰ They put his armor in the house of their gods and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.